`e Patient
Care Partnership
Understanding Expectations, Rights and Responsibilities
What to expect during
your hospital stay:
•
High quality hospital care.
•
A clean and safe environment.
•
Involvement in your care.
•
Protection of your privacy.
•
Help when leaving the hospital.
•
Help with your billing claims.
`e Patient
Care Partnership
Understanding Expectations, Rights and Responsibilities
W
hen you need hospital care, your doctor
and the nurses and other professionals
at our hospital are committed to working with
you and your family to meet your health care
needs. Our dedicated doctors and staff serve
the community in all its ethnic, religious and
economic diversity. Our goal is for you and
your family to have the same care and attention
we would want for our families and ourselves.
What to Expect
During Your Hospital Stay
High quality hospital care.
The sections explain some of the basics about
how you can expect to be treated during your
hospital stay. They also cover what we will
need from you to care for you better. If you
have questions at any time, please ask them.
Unasked or unanswered questions can add
to the stress of being in the hospital. Your
comfort and confidence in your care are very
important to us.
O
ur first priority is to provide you the care
you need, when you need it, with skill,
compassion and respect. Tell your caregivers if
you have concerns about your care or if you have
pain. You have the right to know the identity
of doctors, nurses and others involved in your
care, and you have the right to know when they
are students, residents or other trainees.
A clean and safe environment.
O
ur hospital works hard to keep you safe.
We use special policies and procedures to
avoid mistakes in your care and keep you free
from abuse or neglect. If anything unexpected
and significant happens during your hospital
stay, you will be told what happened, and any
resulting changes in your care will be discussed
with you.
Involvement in your care.
Y
ou and your doctor often make decisions about your care
before you go to the hospital. Other times, especially in emergencies, those decisions are made during your hospital stay. When
decision-making takes place, it should include:
• Discussing your medical condition and information
about medically appropriate treatment choices.
To make informed decisions with your doctor,
you need to understand:
• The benefits and risks of each treatment.
• Whether your treatment is experimental or
part of a research study.
• What you can reasonably expect from your
treatment and any long-term effects it might
have on your quality of life.
• What you and your family will need to do after
you leave the hospital.
• The financial consequences of using uncovered services or out-of-network providers.
• Please tell your caregivers if you need more information
about treatment choices.
Discussing your treatment plan. When you
enter the hospital, you sign a general consent
to treatment. In some cases, such as surgery or
experimental treatment, you may be asked to
confirm in writing that you understand what is
planned and agree to it. This process protects
your right to consent to or refuse a treatment.
Your doctor will explain the medical consequences of refusing recommended treatment.
It also protects your right to decide if you want
to participate in a research study.
• Getting information from you. Your caregivers need complete and
correct information about your health and coverage so that they can
make good decisions about your care. That includes:
• Past illnesses, surgeries or hospital stays.
• Past allergic reactions.
• Any medicines or dietary supplements (such as vitamins and herbs)
that you are taking.
• Any network or admission requirements under your health plan.
Understanding your health care goals and values.
You may have health care goals and values or
spiritual beliefs that are important to your
well-being. They will be taken into account as
much as possible throughout your hospital
stay. Make sure your doctor, your family and
your care team know your wishes.
Understanding who should make decisions when
you cannot. If you have signed a health care
power of attorney stating who should speak for
you if you become unable to make health care
decisions for yourself, or a “living will” or
“advance directive” that states your wishes about
end-of-life care; give copies to your doctor, your
family and your care team. If you or your family
need help making difficult decisions, counselors,
chaplains and others are available to help.
Protection of your privacy.
W
e respect the confidentiality of your
relationship with your doctor and other
caregivers, and the sensitive information
about your health and health care that are part
of that relationship. State and federal laws and
hospital operating policies protect the privacy
of your medical information. You will receive
a Notice of Privacy Practices that describes
the ways that we use, disclose and safeguard
patient information and that explains how you
can obtain a copy of information from our
records about your care.
Preparing you and your family for when you leave the hospital.
Y
our doctor works with hospital staff and
professionals in your community. You and
your family also play an important role in
your care. The success of your treatment often
depends on your efforts to follow medication,
diet and therapy plans. Your family may need
to help care for you at home.
You can expect us to help you identify sources
of follow-up care and to let you know if
our hospital has a financial interest in any
referrals. As long as you agree that we can
share information about your care with them,
we will coordinate our activities with your
caregivers outside the hospital. You can also
expect to receive information and, where
possible, training about the self-care you will
need when you go home.
Help with your bill and filing insurance claims.
O
ur staff will file claims for you with health care insurers or other
programs such as Medicare and Medicaid. They also will help your
doctor with needed documentation. Hospital bills and insurance coverage
are often confusing. If you have questions about your bill, contact our
business office. If you need help understanding your insurance coverage
or health plan, start with your insurance company or health benefits
manager. If you do not have health coverage, we will try to help you and
your family find financial help or make other arrangements. We need
your help with collecting needed information and other requirements
to obtain coverage or assistance.
While you are here, you will receive more
detailed notices about some of the rights you
have as a hospital patient and how to exercise
them. We are always interested in improving.
If you have questions, comments or concerns,
please contact:
©2003
American Hospital Association. All rights reserved.